From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 183

He stayed online the entire time.

It was as if he was waiting for her response.

Wide awake until dawn, she felt utterly exhausted. She applied heavy makeup to hide her pallor, changed into an elegant, modest suit, and accompanied Frederick to court, playing the role of the devoted wife perfectly.

Today was jury selection.

Watching the prosecution and their defense attorney, Saul Solomon, trade blows felt like watching a stage play.

During the lunch recess.

She had barely stepped out of the lounge when someone yanked her into the restroom.

"Lydia, how much money did you bring?" Sierra demanded, grabbing her hands. "We can't just sit back and watch Frederick go down for this."

Lydia snatched her hands away, staring coldly at the other woman like she was a lunatic.

"Lydia, Frederick is actually... he's actually guilty," Sierra stammered, pacing frantically in front of her.

"You're Mrs. Foster. You must have access to a ton of cash, right?" Getting no response, Sierra lunged forward and tried to snatch Lydia's purse.

"Don't make me slap you," Lydia warned.

She shoved Sierra aside and walked further into the restroom.

Sierra scoffed behind her. "Everything you have was given to you by Frederick! How can you abandon him when it matters most?"

"You're such a disappointment!"

"I honestly thought you loved him."

"But I guess you really did just come back to get revenge on me."

"I'm going to make sure Frederick sees your true colors. I'm the one he should have married."

After delivering her unhinged rant, Sierra stormed out.

Lydia rolled her eyes, smoothing away the exhaustion around her temples.

Night fell, and they returned to the mansion.

She took off her makeup, sat at her vanity, and opened the research app once again.

He was still online.

"Huh, why is your suitcase such a mess, Mrs. Foster?" Gable asked, repacking the scattered belongings. She absentmindedly set a folder down on the vanity.

"I messed it up."

Lydia felt too embarrassed to explain that she had carelessly thrown her clothes into the suitcase yesterday, fully intending to run away.

Stunned, Lydia watched them walk into the room. She dropped the photos, closed the folder, and stood up.

"What are you talking about?"

One of the officers pulled out a pair of silver handcuffs and reached for her wrists. "Melissa's family reported to the police that you paid them off to drop the charges."

Horrified, she yanked her hands back. "I didn't do that!"

"Yeah! How could our Mrs. Foster do something like that?"

"Don't go making wild accusations! Do you even have proof?" Gable exclaimed, practically shouting.

Gable could understand English, but she couldn't speak it well.

The two American officers didn't understand her Chinese, but they frowned and continued in English. "We can skip the cuffs, but you need to cooperate."

Lydia shot a desperate look at Frederick as Gable shrieked, "Mr. Foster, say something!"

"Mrs. Foster would never commit a crime!"

But Frederick's gaze was ice-cold, a storm of unreadable emotions churning in his dark eyes.

Lydia suddenly remembered Sierra's psychotic episode earlier that day. She marched up to Frederick, her voice razor-sharp. "Sierra did this."

"Frederick, believe me. Don't let them take me."